What we covered here
• Back in the spotlight: President Donald Trump was back in public today to announce a new location for US Space Command headquarters — and prove that rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Taking questions: Trump held court in the Oval Office, answering questions on legal setbacks for the administration and his plan to send the National Guard to Chicago, breaking a weeklong absence that gave rise to viral theories that he was seriously ill or had even died.
• Epstein files release: Meanwhile, The House Oversight Committee released tens of thousands of Jeffrey Epstein-related files it had received from the Justice Department, as the controversy over the case intensified with lawmakers’ return to Washington.
Our live coverage of Trump’s presidency has ended for the day. Follow the latest updates or read through the posts below.
Trump alleges China, Russia and North Korea are conspiring against the United States
US President Donald Trump alleged tonight that China, Russia and North Korea are conspiring against the United States, as the leaders of each nation were pictured for the first time together at Chinese President Xi Jinping’s military parade in Beijing.
Xi is presiding over a military parade in Beijing to commemorate the end of World War II, and Trump said “the big question” is whether he will recognize the United States’ efforts, as well.
“The big question to be answered is whether or not President Xi of China will mention the massive amount of support and ‘blood’ that The United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM from a very unfriendly foreign invader. Many Americans died in China’s quest for Victory and Glory. I hope that they are rightfully Honored and Remembered for their Bravery and Sacrifice!” Trump said on Truth Social.
CNN has reached out to the White House for further clarification on Trump’s comment about China, North Korea and Russia conspiring against the US.
US forces provided military and financial support to China as the Allied powers fought Japan in World War II.
Follow live updates of news from the Chinese military parade.
House Oversight Committee released more than 33,000 pages of Epstein files. Here's what we learned
More than 33,000 pages of the Jeffrey Epstein files were released this evening by the House Oversight Committee.
The committee issued a subpoena last month seeking the documents. Since then, the panel has moved to redact sensitive information in the files.
Here’s what we learned:
- The documents included flight logs, court filings, surveillance footage from the jail where Epstein died, redacted records, depositions and memos.
- Most of the documents — about 97% — of the documents were already public, according to Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on House Oversight Committee.
- “There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims,” Garcia said.
- It comes after the Oversight Committee heard testimony from six Epstein victims during a closed-door meeting earlier today.
- As the panel readied the files’ release, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie pushed forward with his effort to compel the publication of the case files in full – a vote that House GOP leaders have sought to head off.
Some Republican lawmakers express concern about Kennedy's actions on vaccines
Here’s what some key Republican senators said today about Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. amid a mass exodus at the CDC and the Trump administration’s ouster of the center’s director Susan Monarez.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who cast a key vote to confirm Kennedy, said his actions on vaccines in recent weeks “goes against some of the commitments he made” to her during his confirmation process.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, refused to say if he regrets voting to confirm Kennedy.
The Louisiana senator said Kennedy had assured senators that he would work closely with their panel, particularly on vaccine issues.
Asked if he trusted Kennedy, Cassidy replied, “I’m not presupposing anyone is right or wrong. I am saying we got to get to the truth, because there’s serious allegations, and so that will take radical transparency, to quote the president, to quote the secretary.”
Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who also voted to confirm Kennedy, said he hasn’t seen RFK Jr. restore confidence in public health institutions. “(What) I see over there is, at the moment, is a multiple vehicle pileup,” he said.
DC mayor orders maximum cooperation with federal law enforcement, even after Trump’s takeover ends
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an order today that requires the city to coordinate with federal law enforcement “to the maximum extent allowable by law,” even after President Donald Trump’s 30-day takeover of the capital’s police force expires this month.
It’s a move that is likely to please Trump, who touted federal law enforcement efforts in the city today, telling reporters, “We don’t have a crime problem in Washington anymore,” and noting that Bowser “has been very helpful.”
Bowser’s order comes days after she said the federal law enforcement surge in Washington, DC, has “enhanced” the capacity of local police officers and led to fewer crimes, while also contributing to a “break in trust” between police and residents.
The mayor said DC’s “Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center” would ensure coordination with federal law enforcement as well as share the city’s requests that federal law enforcement officers identify their agencies and not wear masks when interacting with the public.
Her order notes that “post-emergency” planning will include coordination with a variety of federal agencies: the US Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation; US Park Police; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the US Capitol Police; and the US Secret Service.
The list does not include Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose agents have been part of the federal surge.
Speaker Johnson and House Oversight Committee members hear emotional testimony from 6 Epstein victims
House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Oversight Committee members met today with six of victims of Jeffrey Epstein for more than two hours behind closed doors in what many members described as an emotional and informative meeting.
Johnson told reporters the testimonials he heard were “heartbreaking and infuriating” and said “there were tears in the room. There was outrage.”
The speaker, who has tried to walk a tightrope on the issue and is under increasing pressure to act, vowed for “transparency” in releasing information to the public, and said that President Donald Trump shares the same perspective.
Yet, Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury criticized Johnson for not wanting to expand the investigation into Epstein beyond the House Oversight panel.
Here are some of the key points that came out of the meeting:
- Some Republicans signaled that they would be open to signing onto GOP Rep. Thomas Massie’s effort to force a full House vote on releasing the Epstein case files, an effort that would circumvent House GOP leadership and would be in addition to the House Oversight Committee’s investigation.
- Many members in the room relayed that victims want more information out there but also want to ensure that certain private details are protected.
- Other Democrats in the meeting told CNN that they hoped the personal stories shared by the victims will encourage more Republicans to get on board with releasing more information.
- There was also bipartisan agreement to subpoena more individuals based on the names that came up in the conversation with the victims, Democratic Rep. David Min said.
House Oversight moves to release Epstein documents as soon as tonight
The House Oversight Committee is expected to release the Jeffrey Epstein files that it received from the Justice Department as soon as tonight, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The committee issued a subpoena last month seeking the documents. Since then, the panel has moved to redact sensitive information in the files.
The Epstein case files have once again emerged as an issue of debate as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill today after their August break.
Here’s what else happened:
- Discharge petition: GOP Rep. Thomas Massie pushed forward with his bipartisan bill to force a full House vote to compel the Justice Department to release all of the files. He formally introduced the resolution today and now he and his Democratic cosponsor, Rep. Ro Khanna, will attempt to get the 218 signatures needed to circumvent leadership.
- Symbolic vote: Underscoring the growing pressure on House Republicans, leadership today added a symbolic vote to the chamber’s calendar that would call on the House Oversight Committee to continue its investigation into the Epstein files. Massie criticized the vote as unnecessary.
- Epstein victims: Meantime, members of the House Oversight Committee were expected to meet today with some of Epstein’s victims. Massie and Khanna will hold a news conference tomorrow with a number of victims who he said are pleading for the files to be released.
CNN’s Alison Main, Sarah Ferris and Ellis Kim contributed reporting to this post.
Here's how Illinois expects Trump’s plan to deploy troops to Chicago will play out
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday state officials have learned about President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy armed military personnel to Chicago and accused the federal government of refusing to coordinate with local law enforcement.
“In the coming days, we expect to see what has played out in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, to happen here in Chicago – first Donald Trump positioning federal agents and staging military vehicles on federal property, such as the Great Lakes Naval base,” said Pritzker at a news conference.
It’s likely those agents will be from US Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security, the governor said. He added many of the agents are being relocated from Los Angeles – where they were deployed this summer amid protests over immigration enforcement – to Chicago. Officials also have reason to believe Trump has begun staging the Texas National Guard for deployment in Illinois, Pritzker said.
Additionally, “unidentifiable” agents in unmarked vehicles with masks are planning to raid Latino communities, in the name of targeting “violent criminals,” the governor said. Pritzker said a very small percentage of the targeted individuals are actually violent.
“Instead, you’re to see videos of them hauling away mothers and fathers traveling to work or picking up their kids from school. Sometimes they will detain, handcuff and haul away children,” Pritzker said.
The governor said the state is ready to fight the troop deployment in court.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that agents operating inside the confines of this state, do so in a legal and ethical manner,” he said.
CNN has contacted the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.
On Saturday, the head of the Illinois State Police received a phone call from the CBP indicating ICE officers would be deployed to Chicago – the first communication Illinois received from the Trump administration on the issue, said Pritzker.
Illinois has gathered information “from unauthorized patriotic officials inside the government and from well sourced reporters” about Trump’s plan,” the governor said.
“Fighting crime requires coordination. We have experienced nothing like that over the past several days and weeks,” said Pritzker.
Jeffries says he spoke with Johnson about government funding as shutdown battle looms
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said that he had an “opening conversation” last week with Speaker Mike Johnson about “the importance of trying to find common ground where possible” on a government spending bill.
“But in that conversation, I also made clear we’re not going to support partisan funding legislation, period, full stop,” he told reporters during a press conference today.
He did not rule out supporting a so-called clean continuing resolution which would fund the government at existing levels — something the Trump administration prefers.
Jeffries said a clean continuing resolution would be “the subject of any four corners negotiation,” but that there haven’t been any talks between him, Johnson, Senate GOP Leader John Thune and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
“The ball is in the court of the Trump administration and Republicans,” he added.
Trump spoke to reporters for the first time in days. Here’s what he said
President Donald Trump just made a public appearance and spoke to reporters, where he said he didn’t know about conspiracy theories circulating on the internet over the weekend about him being dead.
CNN had reported that Trump was on the golf course over Labor Day weekend.
Here’s what he covered in his remarks today:
New announcement: Trump said that US Space Command Headquarters will move to Huntsville, Alabama. This was decided during his first administration, but in 2023, former President Joe Biden elected to have it remain in Colorado, angering Alabama lawmakers. Today, Trump thanked Colorado for being the location for the headquarters, but blamed its mail-in voting provision for what ended up being a “big factor” in his decision.
On Chicago: Trump said today that he will send National Guard troops into Chicago, but did not provide a timeline.
Fate of tariffs: Trump said his administration will appeal a decision that shot down many of his sweeping tariffs to the Supreme Court as soon as tomorrow. A “wrong” decision from the conservative court would mean “devastation for our country,” he said. “The stock market needs the tariffs.”
Putin: The US president hinted at developments in his efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, but declined to provide any specifics.
Viral video: Trump dismissed a viral video of what appears to be a black bag being tossed out of the White House as an AI-generated fake, adding that it’s “a little bit scary” how realistic such videos can be.
Trump says he is "very disappointed” in Putin as peace talks stall
President Donald Trump said today he is “very disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has continued attacking Ukraine as peace talks have stalled.
Trump did not specifically say he would be imposing any sanctions on Russia, rather he more vaguely described how his administration would be “doing something” to stop the bloodshed.
“We’ll see what happens. But now, very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that, and we’ll be doing something to help people live,” Trump said. “If I can help to stop that, I think I have an obligation to do it.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News yesterday that “all options are on the table” for further sanctions against Russia, adding that he believes the administration would be “examining those very closely this week.”
On August 22, Trump said he would give Putin “a couple of weeks,” again extending a deadline for potential consequences. Friday will mark two weeks.
Trump also told Jennings he is “not concerned at all” about “an axis forming” against the US as Jennings put it, between China and Russia. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping recently met for a summit in China.
Republican lawmaker says Congress is acting "corrupt" in handling of Epstein files
GOP Rep. Thomas Massie accused Congress of being “corrupt” and not pushing for enough information to be made public from the federal government on the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Massie said that he’s taking a step today toward forcing a floor vote on his bipartisan legislation to compel the Justice Department to release information on Epstein’s case to prevent Congress from covering up for “rich and powerful and politically connected people.”
He said he’s “not worried” about the political pressure campaign in his district by President Donald Trump and his allies, who have vowed to mount a primary against the Kentucky Republican.
“I’ve already poked the hornet’s nest here. And you know, once you’re, once you’re in for a penny, you’re in for a pound, we’re going to get these files released,” he said.
Massie expressed confidence that he and his Democratic cosponsor, Rep. Ro Khanna, could get six Republicans to join all 212 House Democrats in supporting their discharge petition to release all of the case files. Meantime, members of the House Oversight Committee are expected to meet today with some of Epstein’s victims.
US military conducted "lethal strike" on alleged "drug vessel" in southern Caribbean, Rubio says
The United States “conducted a lethal strike” against an alleged “drug vessel” in the southern Caribbean, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today.
The move represents a significant escalation by the US administration against drug cartels, a number of which the administration has designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
Trump teases "very interesting" developments on Putin regarding Ukraine war
President Donald Trump hinted at developments in his efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, but declined to provide any specifics while taking questions today from the media at the White House.
Trump did not specify what the consequences, if any, would be if a bilateral meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky doesn’t end up happening.
“We’re going to see what happens. We’re going to see what they do and what happens. I’m watching it very closely,” Trump said.
On August 22, Trump said he would know what to do in “in two weeks.” That deadline is approaching on Friday.
Trump will seek quick action from Supreme Court on fate of his tariffs
President Donald Trump said his administration will appeal a decision that shot down many of his sweeping tariffs to the Supreme Court as soon as Wednesday.
“We’re going to be going to the Supreme Court – we think tomorrow,” Trump said as he spoke with reporters on Tuesday, asserting that a “wrong” decision from the conservative court would mean “devastation for our country.”
A federal appeals court on Friday struck down many of Trump’s tariffs, saying he unlawfully leaned on emergency powers to impose the import taxes. But the appeals court allowed the tariffs to remain in place for now.
Trump said his administration would seek to expedite review of the case.
“The stock market needs the tariffs,” Trump said.
“We’re going in”: Trump says he’ll send National Guard to Chicago without giving a timeline
President Donald Trump said today that he will send National Guard troops into Chicago, but did not provide a timeline.
Trump says he was unaware of theories that he was dead
President Donald Trump said he didn’t know about conspiracy theories circulating on the internet over the weekend about him being dead.
“No, I’ve been very active actually, over the weekend, I didn’t hear that one that’s pretty serious,” Trump said Tuesday — his first time publicly addressing reporters in a week.
Trump said he’d heard about general concerns about his well-being, but not about the speculation he’d died. “I knew they were saying, like, ‘Is he okay? How’s he feeling? What’s wrong?’”
Trump said he’d been active over the long Labor Day weekend, during which he went to his Virginia golf course each day, and noted he also did an interview on Friday with the Daily Caller.
“It’s also sort of a longer weekend, you know, it’s Labor Day weekend. I would say a lot of people know I was very active this Labor Day. I had heard that, but I didn’t hear to that extent,” Trump said.
He also touted his lengthy public appearances last week, including a Cabinet meeting that lasted more than three hours.
“Last week, I did numerous news conferences, all successful. They went very well, like this is going very well. And then I didn’t do any for two days, and they said, ‘There must be something wrong with him.’ Biden wouldn’t do them for months,” Trump said.
Trump says US Space Command headquarters will move to Alabama
President Donald Trump just announced that US Space Command Headquarters will move to Huntsville, Alabama.
Huntsville is already called Rocket City.
He said this will create more than 30,000 jobs in the state.
Some background: US Space Command, which is a joint command and separate from the US Space Force military branch, is currently housed in Colorado Springs. During Trump’s first administration, officials decided to move it to Alabama, and a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2022 found the US Air Force’s decision-making process had “significant shortfalls in its transparency and credibility.” Then in 2023, President Joe Biden elected to have it remain in Colorado, angering Alabama lawmakers.
Today, Trump thanked Colorado for being the location for the headquarters, and then pointed to what was a “big factor” in this decision.
“I want to thank Colorado. The problem I have with Colorado, one of the big problems, they do mail-in voting,” Trump said. “So they have automatically crooked elections. And we can’t have that.”
NOW: Trump is making an announcement at the White House
President Donald Trump is making an announcement at the White House.
He is expected to announce that US Space Command will move its headquarters from Colorado to Alabama, according to a source familiar.
The announcement is Trump’s first public comments in a week.
What to know: US Space Command is a joint command and separate from the US Space Force military branch. It is currently housed in Colorado Springs, but the location of its headquarters has been the source of controversy.
During Trump’s first administration, officials decided to move it to Alabama, and a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2022 found the US Air Force’s decision-making process had “significant shortfalls in its transparency and credibility.” Then in 2023, President Joe Biden elected to have it remain in Colorado, angering Alabama lawmakers.
This has been Trump's longest stretch without speaking to reporters in public since taking office
President Donald Trump is expected to speak shortly, according to the White House.
But prior to today, he had not addressed press at the White House since August 26, when he fielded questions from reporters during a marathon 3 hour and 17 minute public meeting of his cabinet.
According to a CNN review of the president’s daily guidance, those six days mark the longest stretch Trump hasn’t spoken to reporters in public since taking office — though he did sit for an interview with the conservative-leaning Daily Caller during that time.
Trump also appeared where reporters could see him during that time, taking trips to his golf course on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of the holiday weekend, though he did not speak publicly.
It’s not unusual for the president, who often spends his weekends on one of his many golf properties, to eschew the press over the weekend and on holidays.
